Dockboard unit



Feb. 2, 1965 R. c. LAYNE 3,167,796

DocKBoARD UNIT Filed April 24, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 RICHARD C. LAYNE BY MAHONEY. MILLER & RAMBO ATTORNEYS.

R. C. LAYNE DOCKBOARD UNIT Feb. 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 1962 INV EN TOR. RICHARD C. lLAYNE El BY MAHONEKrM/LLER & RAMBO. 5 WM. 2f M ATTORNEYS.

R. C. LAYNE DOCKBOARD UNIT Feb. 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 24, 1962 mdm M Rw ml. EC. WD 1R BY MAHONEY, MILLER & RAMBO ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 2, 1965 R. c. LAT/NE 3,167,796

DocxBoARD UNIT Filed April 24, 1962 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR. RICHARD C. LAYNE BY MAHONEKM/LL'ER RAMBO BVM.; 2%

ATTORNEYS.

relative to the dockboardor ramp. l board inA its lower or cross-traine position, the lipfis in a My invention relates to a Dockboa'rd Unit. It relates, more`specical1`y,'fto a unit lwhich 4includes a dockboard that is mounted on a loading and unloading dock for vertical swinging movement andwhich has a slidable lUnited States Patent O Nice taken alongl-ine 4%-4 of FIGURE 1 showingthe ramp in ylowered positionl and illustrating the ramp-raising means.

tional view taken along` IinefS- S off FlGUREl showf lip on its outer endv that yisautomatically extended'and Y locked in response to upward movement of the dock-A boar-d. and whichv can be released when desired and will be automatically'retracted.

Various types of dockboard units have been provided in association with truck loading and unloading docks.

f diiierent verticall positions of the ramp.

These units usually include a doekboard whichis pivoted for movement between a cross-traffic position, where itis recessed in the docksurface, to a loading position Where the outer end of the dockboard overlaps the rear end of a truck bed, which has been backed intoy associationtherewith, to facilitate loading vand unloading.

I have devised a dockboard unit which includes a pivoted dockboard or ramp vand which has a lip slidably mounted at its outer end for extension and retraction retracted inoperative rpositionwhere itwill not inter* ferewith. backing of ,thel truck or carrier into association with `the dock aty thel doekboard or ramp location. When thev truck is backed into position, the doors of the truck can be openedl without interference with the dockboard Yunit and the extreme rear end of the truck bed can be unloaded.l Then the dockboard can be released for automatic upward swinging andthe lip will isnow forced downwardly, the lip will: overlap the unloaded end of the truck body and will facilitate movement ofA unloading equipment -into and out ofthe truck body. This dockboard unit is so designed that the with this docktension of the lip.

FIGUREl Sis anv enlarged 1ngitud'in1 verncarsec ing details of the lip-'latching'm'cans.` t g IGURE 6- a'slectional view taken along line 6-*6 ofFrGURE 5. f i y .FIGURE 7 isa longitudinalsectionaluview showing vFIGURE 8l is a transverse sectional view takenfalong line 8--8 of FIGURE l showing the lip-guiding andsupporting means andthe rampraising and hold-down means.

FIGURES is a longitudinal verticalr sectionalvievv showing a duid-actuated lip controlunit.l FIGURE 1 0 isalongitudinal vertical sectional View showing the return spring and. associated parts forfthe fluid-actuated lip control unit. 1

.FiGURE 11 is'a'diagramr-naticlview showing the fluidactuated lip control unit inlcondition for permitting ex- FIGURE 12l is a similarview butl with the lip control unit in condition to permit retraction' of the lip.`

With referenceY tothe drawings,v FIGURES 1 to 4 illustrate the generall structure 'of-this dockboard unit. The unit is so designed that a -minirnunrofY framework is required to mount the unit within-.the pit -in the dock designed'tofreceivethe unit. In fact, the ramp-raising mechanism is designed to cooperate with the outwardly open'at its top and outer sides. The board or' ramp 20 is automatically be extended and locked so that it the board mounted for vertical swinging movement in-'associ'atiofn with the pit'.y The` ramp is suitably fabricatedfrom supporting beams andcross members which carry Ven their 'dockboardzthereof can move rto a level lower than its ,5

Y original cross-trailic vlevel if 'required because ofthe truck bed being lower, To bring' the lipfout of thecarrier, without moving the' carrier, the lipy may be released l andf. it will then be retracted automatically.

The slidable. lipcan be movedinto and outv of the truckk bediwithout moving the truck. With the unit provided, there'are no projecting actuating parts or portions y kof the'slidable lip and, therefore, an overhead door may be moved downwardly/into closed position relative'there-v to,;andy need not be opened; until a truck backs into associatiou therewith since xthe lip-canilater be ypositioned over the truck bed "ofjthe previously "positioned truck after the door is opened. The operating mechanism forv the doekboa'rd'is such that the :dockboard can adjust itself to` theA level of the truck'for'unloading thereof and` can adjnstitself'upwardly as the truck isunloaded and the bed moves upwardly. due tolessening of weighton of -a YVoted at its inner end for vertical swinging movement and in cross-traiic vposition isflush with' the upper surface of the curb angle 21a although` it .may swing above or below the sides of thecurb'angle. t

Iny order t'o cause vertical swinging movementof the ramp or board Zit, suitable mechanisnrfis provided and is supported by the ramp-itself. This mechanisni includes i f bell.r crank leversinthe' formof .upright triangular rocken plates 25 which are pivoted 'at their upper corners for vertical swinging movement by `a pivot shaft 26 to depending brackets 27 thatlare suitably attached to the underside` of the Yplate 21.' atltransversely vspaced positions.

located intermediate the inner andvouter endsof the ramp 2). TheplatesfZSnre arranged in pairs, a pair beingprotaken' along line 2 2 ofUFIGURE l, showing the ramp vided at each-SideY of the center line of the ramp (FIG- URES 1 and 8). The levers or plates 25 of each pair are rigidly connected together by a transversely extendingv connecting bar 28; .Y

Each pair of plates 25 carries at its forward and lowerv 20 as indicated at-SS. f

ated-set of plates. 25 aboutthe axis of the pivot shaft 26 y and keep the rollers 30 in engagement with'the cam surface B; Each spring ofy a set is connected at its outer Vend-to the bar Vv28, Ithatonnects the platesZS, by means` ofthe adjustable eye 'bolts 32.' The inner end of each SPI.ng lis anchored at 3,3to a transverselyextendingangle member-34 rigidly securedto :theramp 20 at its'inner pivoted end. Thus, the springsl tendto pivot'the platesk t `25 and cause y'the rollers 30 to'produce with the surface B a `earring-ing action tending to raisev the ramp k20, but

,raisinglis normally prevented. by rhold-down mechanism-which will' bedescribedlater. In a. cross-traffic l position, as shown in FIGURE #2,.' the ramp is supported by 'pendulumf'legs' v3:5 YwhichV are pivoted 'at `361adjacent` their upper ends to the outer end ofthe ramp 20. n They yare provided vwith' angled feet 37 for engaging the inr y clined pit bottom surface B as shownin thisligure.

For holdingV the board down in the cross-traffic position Y shown in'fFIGURES 2,3,"4 and 8, the latch arrangementA tendingpsupport plates'42 (FIGURE 8)' depending from` the plate 21. VA pawl in the form `of a bell crank lever 43 is provided for preventing rotation of the ratchet wheel counterclockwise (FIGURE 3)I when engaged therewith `but for permitting clockwise rotation. This; pawl 43 is pivoted at 44 to a'bracket145 'which depends.

from the underside ofthe ramp plate 21. A spr-ing 43a normallykeeps vthe pawl engaged with :the ratchet. ,T release` the pawl when desired, a cord 47 is connected/to the upper end thereof 'and runs to a suitable location aboveithelramp where a release ringl 47a' is provided.

' A cable 46 is provided for turning the ratchet wheel 40 clockwise and for this purpose, `itsfouter endis conthe `ratchet pawl is engagedv since `as itl lowers, the cable 46 and spring v49 will rotate Vthe wheel 40 clockwise.

Thel board or ramp at its outer vend-'is provided with Va slidable lip 60and means is provided for automatically extending the lip ,as the rampVZtl is raised; Means is also providedfor simultaneously swinging the pendulum legs 35' IoutA of their cross-tratc supporting position., Y

The. lip 601 extends thefull width of therframp or.y

board andismounted directly below the plate`21 thereof.

lip' for` sliding movement `'relative `to. the'vplate .21 and through. aslotf-l at the outer end Ao fxther boardi This'- l meansis shownl in FIGURES V1 andfS jas comprising sup,-

,porting and` guiding angles 6,2 which extend longitudinally of andare secured to `the board plate ,21. inwardly Yof the retracted position of theV lip, thelip;being free to move between theangles; and theqadjacent'surlface of the board plate at the forward portions of .the angles. Theseangles carry rollers 63y Awhich engage the upper lsurfaces-of anges of." angles 64 which areattached to the undersurface of the lip 60. Thus, 'the' lipis'guided nectedto .the tension spring 49 which Ais anchored at 48 l bottom surface B thereof;l The other'end of `this cable is wound around the vshaft41 in' such a manner. as `to tend to rotate it clockwise.

. (FIGURES 1 and 13),at' the outer side of the pit onv the Anothercable 50' has oneend wound around andanchored to a pulley sheave or drum 51 in such manner that'a pull on theable'tends `to rotate'the pulley counterclockwise. Thispulley is keyedon the shaftY 41 and will, l

' by the latching pawl 43. .i The.cable 50 passesoutwardly over an idler 52 onthe board and v,then inwardly around an idler 53 and then again outwardly and downwardly over an idler 54 carried by the-'board toan anchoring uab-racket 55;xed at the surface B. The-idler 53 is mov'ably'carried by a guide rod 56" mounted for longitudinalvslidable movement on the board-20.` The opposite endl of this rod is connected t-o the outer end of a tension spring 57-whieh is 'anchored at its inner end to theboard mechaleased,vv from the ratchetwhe'el 40 permitting .it to.. rotate in a countercloclnrvise'` direction and the springs 31 Will swing the plates 25 downwardly to cause.' the rollers 30 thereby stretching the spring 49. lThe spring57 acting 'on the` idler 53 will always keep the cable'Stl tautl; Whenever the ring` 47a is released,'the latchingpawl 43' will again be engaged by theteeth yof the ratchet Wheel 40' vupwardly', the lip s450 will bepr-'ojectedv bya pull 'on the v .cablev 75 since the, rocker platesfZSfwill swing the board e and prevent -further rotation, the necessary,counterclock-v wise rotation for engagement being produced by the spring 49. Thiswill 'bev true even though, aswilllater appear,

the board moves below a crosstraic position. Theboard can, movel downward-ly to Vseekdits own level ever` after by the rollers63.

The lip 6l) is normally retracted l.by meansV of tension springs 65 (FIGURES 1 and 2) disposedat the oppositeV ends thereof. Each spring is attached .to the lip adjacent the inner edge of the lip :by a bracket -66 and is anchored at its inner end by'a bracket:67-to therampgor board 20.' latching lug 68V is provided at the'centerline ofthe ramp.` This lug 6,8 is vpivoted on a pinl ,69,carried by the ramp, asshown in `FIGURES 5 and y6, l-for vertical vswinging movement. A torsion springu70 onthepivot vpin'69 biases the lug `68 upwardly. The upperV edge, of the lug will engage the undersurface of the lip untilthe lip is fully extended at which time the outer, straight edge of the lug willlmove into engagementwith the inner 'edge of the lip to hold yitjin extended lpositionas shownin FIG- URE 5." Torelease the latching lug, jaflexiblemember or cable 71 isattachedA to its outerlower corner .and

passes. inwardly around an lidle'1172fto .a suitable' actuat Y ing point. 1

extending 'itf'lby overcoming .the iforce cfr-the retracting springs 65. vThis `connection compnisesa cable 75, shownV in FIGURES -land 2, which is connected, at itsinner-end by a bracket 761depcnd-ing from the lip and Yone-inf which y is disposed adjacent each end of `the lip... Th'eruter vend of this `cable .is' xed at 77 to thel surfaceB'adjacent theV outer.` side of the pit. This cable passes varound an idler` pulley 78 at the outer corner'ofthejramp or board 20 and,.consequent1y,when'the boardor vramp'raiSSS, the Y .fr cableV .pulls .the lip outwardly. VYAtfthefY same time,4 itis.. 1 desirable for thelegs SSto be'fswung out"oftr'amp-sup-sl .porting position andthis is accomplished by acable connectionat each sideofy theboard orjrarnp-.iy Thus, a cable :79 is connectedY to the lowertend of each'le'g and ypasses inwardlyl l'and upwardlyy over la pulley' 80,1cax'ried lby: the ramp, and then `outwardly .where'it is `conmected to the.l bracket 7t onthe lip60'. i1 Thus, as the lip is extended, the legs B16-are swung upwardly as shown in FIG-x URE 7. permits adjustnnen-tfot` the .ramp down to a position belowthe cross-traffic; horizontal position.v f It will be apparent thatwhen thepull ring Madspulled to release the latch 43 and; thev board 20` starts toswing `upwardly toA exert ythis pull.' Thiswill projectfthe lip 60 l fr'omthe retracted vposition lshownin' FIGURE Z'to vthe'. Yextended position. shown in FIGURE 17 vat which time theV latch 68 .will engagey the lipyand hold litin this ,ex-

tended-position.` Then, iffthe board {Ztlis again `lowered by'mere1r-steppius Ion it vor running e ytvrktruzk01H0.

For lockingithelip infits extended position, a.

rtl1e ,weight of the dockboardV or "ramp 20 and raise 'it .when .the latching lever 43 is released.- Outward movement of the lip 60 will be limited by the cables 79 connected thereto. When any substantial weight is applied v tothe board, the springs 31 will be overcome and the board will swing downwardly; When weight is applied to the board 20 to move it downwardly, the ratchet Wheel 40ywill be rotated clockwise and the extended lip 60 will seek a proper level in contact with the bed of the truck. As the truck is unloaded and the bed rises, due to a lessening of weight on the truck springs, the spring 57 extends so that `the board and lip will swing upwardly to automatically adjust the lip upwardly lwith the truck bed. The bumpers S are provided on the face ofthe dock Y and -project therefrom so -that the lip can be in retracted position when the t-ruck backs into association with the dock-board unit and the truck will not contact the lip but will contact the bumpers which project slightly outwardly of the lip. Therefore, when the board is released, even with the truck in position, the board 20 can swing upwardly and simultaneously the lip 60 can start movking outwardly toward its projected position,

The lip 60 will be automatically retracted whenever desired, if a pull is exerted on the cable 71 to release the latching lug 68 from the inner edge of the lip. The

springs 65 will then take over to retract the lip 60 within the board or ramp plate 21 providedy there is suiiicieut slack in the cables 75 which will be present usually if the lip is contacting the bed of the truck due to the relatively low position of the board or ramp. vAlso, retraction of the lip 60 will permit swinging of the legs downwardly into cross-traffic supporting position since slac will be created in lthe cables'79.

In FIGURES 9 to 12, a different arrangement is provided for holding the lip in lany position to which it is extended and for retracting it to any desired extent and holding it in such retracted position. This mechanism 'includes a huid-actuated unit preferably inthe form of a hydraulic cylinder and piston unit.

The lip 60a is normally held -in retracted position exi actly as before by meansy of the springs 65a. The lip automatically extended upon upward swinging of the boa-rd or rampl by the cables 7 5a, exactly as before. The supportnig legs`a are actuated as before by the cables However, a cylinder and piston unit 8S is connected bevtween the lip a and theboard 20a to control the exten-l 91 being closedby'thevalvef92. The 60erY remains in the extended position against the force 4of the springs a :as the disc 9'4lwill'seat itself .when outward movement ofthe rod @mas-stopped. Theextended lip 6in1/Will be retracted by the springs--Sa-any timethe valve 92 is openedas shown Vin-FIGURE- 12L Theiluid inthe inner end of th'ecylinder 86-w'ill` thenvbet displaced tothe outer end thereof through the by-pass 91 as the rod 89 moves inwardly as the ports l93 'will be closed by the disc 94. Thus, the lip can be extended automatically and will be retracted any time the control valve 92 is opened.

It will -be apparent that there is provided a dockboard which lhas many features of advantage that haveibeen discussed. Other advantages will be apparent.

According to the provision of the patent statutes, the

principles of this invention have beenA explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to ber understood that, within the scope of the appended claims,

the invention may be practiced otherwise than as speciiically illustrated andl described.

Having thus described my invention, what I clairnis:

l. In a dockboard unit for installation in a dock having an inclined pit, a ramp pivotally mounted to the dock for swinging vertically and having its inner end pivoted and its outer end freevfor vertical swinging, ramp raising means including rocker members, each of which is pivotally connected at one end to the ramp and at the other end slidably supported on the pit incline and helical compression springs, one of which is anchored to the dock and the other end pivotally connected to the rocker member, ramp hold-down means including a tension spring anchored to the dock at one end, a cable con- K a drum iixed on the shaft, a cable secured to and wrapped l 4o jecting rod 89 that is pivotally connected to the lip at 90 Between the -opposedends of the cylinder is a by-pass 91 cord or cable 71a.

The piston 88 is yprovided-with a check valvey arrange- 1 ment which includes yby-pass ponts 93 extending therethrough which are controlled 'by an associ-atedspringloaded check valve disc v94.'r The disc is mounted for axial movement on the rod 89, but outward movement oi the rod is prevented by a stop nut 95. `A reservoir 9,6 -is conthe outward pull onthe rod 89gunseats thedisc 94 from the piston 88 as the uid pressure istincreased in fthe outer controlled by a control valve 92 which is actuated by a e end of .the cylinder and the fluid ldisplaceslthrough the ports 93 iromthe out-erend of the cylinder 86 to the'v .inner end thereof as shown in FIGURE l1, the by-pass nected to the tensionspring at the'endv remote from the dock, a shaft rotatably journalled in the ramp', said cable 1 Wrapped around and secured to the shaft, a ratchet wheel fixed on the shaft, a pawl in selective engagement with the ratchet Wheel and pivotally connected to the ramp,

around the drum at one end and anchored to the dock at the other end, and a spring biased pulley slidably mounted on the ramp and engaged by the said cable, a lip' slidably mounted at the outerend of theramp and adapted to move in a plane parallel to the plane of the ramp between a retracted and extended position, lip` extending meansiactuated upon upward movement of the dockboard for extending the lip relative thereto including cable means attached to the dock at one end and to the lip at the other end, lip latching means including a rotatable lug on the ramp adapted to engage the Alip in eX- ftended position and lip retracting means'connected at Vone end to the ramp and at the otherend to the lip.

2.' A unit of claim 1 wherein the lip extending means include a cable having one endl connected to the lip and another end connected to the dock, and an'idler pulley on the ramp receiving the cable and changing the direction of the cable. t v v 3l A dockboa-rd unit of claim'l wherein the lip latching means include a slot in thelip, said rotatable lug GY adapted to engage the 'slot pivotally mounted on the ramp, and a helically wound torsionspring in engagement with vthe ramp and the lug for v biasingthe lug to- Ward the slot in the lip. f

' 4. A dockboard unit of claim vl wherein the lip lre-v tracting kmeans comprises a tension spring having one end connected to the ramp and the other end connectedv to the lip whereby the lip is biased rearwardly.

5. A dockboard unit of claim l in combination with hydraulic means for positioning the lip at adesired posi- 'tion, including a piston and cylinder, oneof which is travelthrough the by-pass.

(References on following page) 

1. IN A DOCKBOARD UNIT FOR INSTALLATION IN A DOCK HAVING AN INCLINED PIT, A RAMP PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO THE DOCK FOR SWINGING VERTICALLY AND HAVING ITS INNER END PIVOTED AND ITS OUTER END FREE FOR VERTICAL SWINGING, RAMP RAISING MEANS INCLUDING ROCKER MEMBERS, EACH OF WHICH IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE RAMP AND AT THE OTHER END SLIDABLY SUPPORTED ON THE PIT INCLINE AND HELICAL COMPRESSION SPRINGS, ONE OF WHICH IS ANCHORED TO THE DOCK AND THE OTHER END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE ROCKER MEMBER, RAMP HOLD-DOWN MEANS INCLUDING A TENSION SPRING ANCHORED TO THE DOCK AT ONE END, A CABLE CONNECTED TO THE TENSION SPRING AT THE END REMOTE FROM THE DOCK, A SHAFT ROTATABLY JOURNALLED IN THE RAMP, SAID CABLE WRAPPED AROUND AND SECURED TO THE SHAFT, A RATCHET WHEEL FIXED ON THE SHAFT, A PAWL IN SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RATCHET WHEEL AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE RAMP, A DRUM FIXED ON THE SHAFT, A CABLE SECURED TO AND WRAPPED AROUND THE DRUM AT ONE END AND ANCHORED TO THE DOCK AT THE OTHER END, AND A SPRING BIASED PULLEY SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE RAMP AND ENGAGED BY THE SAID CABLE, A LIP SLIDABLY MOUNTED AT THE OUTER END OF THE RAMP AND ADAPTED TO MOVE IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE* RAMP BETWEEN A RETRACTED AND EXTENDED POSITION, LIP EXTENDING MEANS ACTUATED UPON UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE DOCKBOARD FOR EXTENDING THE LIP RELATIVE THERETO INCLUDING CABLE MEANS ATTACHED TO THE DOCK AT ONE END AND TO THE LIP AT THE OTHER END, LIP LATCHING MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLE LUG ON THE RAMP ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE LIP IN EXTENDED POSITION AND LIP RETRACTING MEANS CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE RAMP AND AT THE OTHER END TO THE LIP. 